Pilot Debrief

AIR TRACTOR INC AT-602 near Branch, LA — 2015-06-04

Final reportCEN15LA276
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Date
2015-06-04
Location
Branch, LA, USA
Airport
PVT
Aircraft
AIR TRACTOR INC AT-602
Registration
N5035R
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

An exceedance of the airplane's takeoff/climb capability, which resulted in a stall during initial climb at an altitude that was too low for recovery.

NTSB narrative

The pilot was departing in tailwind conditions on an aerial application flight from a 1,800-foot-long turf runway with a full payload of fertilizer. The pilot stated that the engine lost power during initial climb and that he had insufficient time to dump the payload before impacting a pond off the end of the runway. Examination of the engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. According to the airplane manufacturer's calculations, the calculated takeoff distance given the conditions present at the time of the accident exceeded the runway length available; however, the airplane's performance specifications were not available in the POH, which precluded the pilot from conducting performance calculations before takeoff. It is likely that, as the airplane neared the end of the runway, the pilot lifted the airplane off the ground prematurely and attempted to climb at a steep attitude, which exceeded the airplane's critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted takeoff due to engine power loss indications.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 8 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents8

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